Gripper apparatus

Abstract

The present invention relates to a gripper apparatus with a housing body having with at least two fixed control rods and at least two gripper fingers which are movable in synchronization in the opening, or respectively closing position, wherein the control rods engage surfaces of the gripper fingers forming cylinder chambers; In order to improve the gripper apparatus in such a way that a more compact structure is obtained, it is distinguished by a center section fixed on the housing, from which respectively one fixed control rod extends in the stroke direction in opposite directions and engages the surface of a respective gripper finger.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A gripper apparatus, comprising: 
       a housing body including a center part fixed within said housing;  
       a pair of spaced apart gripping fingers disposed in said housing body to move toward and away from said center part, and consequently toward and away from each other, said movement toward each other defining a closing direction of movement and said movement away from each other defining an opening direction of movement, each of said gripping fingers having a surface defining a chamber extending in the opening and closing direction and having a closed bottom;  
       a control rod fixed to said center part and extending in said opening and closing direction and in engagement with said chamber of each gripping finger, said control rod defining at least one free end and a first and second channel extending in the longitudinal direction in a control rod a second sealing element and its associated first sealing element define a control chamber;  
       a first sealing element fixed to said free end of said control rod, said first sealing element being sealingly seated against said surface defining said respective chamber;  
       a second sealing element which engages said surface defining said respective chamber, said second sealing element being movable with its respective gripper finger against said control rod; and  
       means for connecting said second channel to said control chamber, wherein a flowable medium is introduced through said first channel into said chamber sealed by said sealing element.  
     
     
       2. The gripper apparatus as defined in claim  1 , wherein said center part has an opening through which said control rod extends. 
     
     
       3. The gripper apparatus as defined in claim  1 , further comprising: 
       a security element for maintaining said second sealing element in engagement with its respective gripping finger.  
     
     
       4. The gripper apparatus as defined in claim  1 , wherein said housing body includes a cover fastened to said center part and extending over said control rod. 
     
     
       5. The gripper apparatus as defined in claim  4 , wherein said cover has opposed ends which rest against a respective one of said gripping fingers when said gripping fingers are closed relative to each other. 
     
     
       6. The gripper apparatus as defined in claim  1 , wherein in the closed position said gripping fingers have their front ends facing each other and in engagement with said center part. 
     
     
       7. The gripper apparatus as defined in claim  1 , wherein each gripping finger includes a sliding block constituting an undercut which is displaceably guided in said housing body. 
     
     
       8. The gripper apparatus as defined in claim  1 , further comprising: 
       a toothed belt coupling for synchronizing the movement of said gripping fingers.  
     
     
       9. The gripper apparatus as defined in claim  8 , wherein said toothed belt coupling includes two toothed belt pulleys and a closed toothed belt. 
     
     
       10. The gripper apparatus as defined in claim  8 , wherein each gripper finger includes an engaging element which engages said toothed belt. 
     
     
       11. The gripper apparatus as defined in claim  9 , wherein each gripper finger includes an engaging element which engages said toothed belt.